Davenport & Co 1800 Soup Plate, Cobalt Blue and Gold Brush Strokes

This lovely W.Davenport & Co soup plate has the Davenport name and anchor firmly impressed on the bottom. Also included is the number 0 on the left of the anchor and the number 0 to the right of the anchor, marking it as an item made by this company in the year 1800. It is also marked as "opaque china". Actually, it is not "opaque". That was a "merchandising" strategy of the era, in an attempt to get the buying public to purchase items other than porcelain. It WAS a finer clay body than the typical earthenware....and quite a bit "whiter"....but nonetheless, not quite "opaque".

The cobalt blue is striking in contrast to the pale body and are lovely bold brush strokes applied by hand. These are enhanced by rich gold embellishments which are likewise hand painted on the surface. This is quite a lovely bowl or soup plate and quite unusual. Such an interesting item for the collector of the uncommon!